


When Knights Dream, They Don't Usually Dream Of Loving A Dragon

by exomostlyhuman



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Dragons, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-26
Updated: 2017-04-26
Packaged: 2018-10-24 08:32:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10738002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exomostlyhuman/pseuds/exomostlyhuman
Summary: "I have a task for you, Knight Zhang. If properly executed, it may relieve you of any displeasure I have."





	When Knights Dream, They Don't Usually Dream Of Loving A Dragon

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Round 1 of Exo_Mostlyhuman (Prompt#20) by [olympianlove](http://olympianlove.livejournal.com/profile)
> 
> Author Notes: The title is long af because I was looking up dragon quotes and this came to mind. Hope the prompter loves this despite the ending. That ending is the bane of my existence.

“Oh, fuck!” Yixing gasped, throwing back his head in ecstasy. White hot pleasure rocketed through him, his toes curling and his back arched when Yifan pressed his hot mouth over his protruding Adam’s apple and sucked hard. The dragon smirked against the knight’s skin, all of his dignity thrown away as he clawed desperately at the dragon’s back. “Whatever would the king think? To see one of his prized knights like this, naked and begging for my cock?” Yifan looked amused as he removed his mouth from Yixing’s skin with a wet ‘pop’, a purplish bruise marking the place where his mouth had been. “Oh!” Yixing cried out, beyond words when the dragon tugged at his breeches, snapping the band against his skin. The band left a red mark on the milky skin, sending pinpricks of pleasure up the knight’s spine as he writhed beneath the larger man. 

“Please hurry!” Yixing begged, jerking his hips up desperately as the dragon took his time removing the cloth covering his manhood. “Patience, little one. Did they not teach you that in your academy? Patience is a virtue, young knight.” Yifan rumbled, laughing internally at the look of disdain the knight shot him. “They taught us that dragons were fearsome creatures that had to be destroyed at all costs and look where I am right now. In a dragon’s den and about be bedded.” Yixing retorted, gasping when the dragon yanked off his breeches, exposing him to the cool air. 

“That's because you're such a treasure that I must have you.” Yifan smirked at the flush that crawled up the knight’s face at those words. He traced fingers along the inside of the knight’s thigh, tickling him softly. “Please touch me.” The knight begged, canting his hips upwards. The dragon ignored him, spreading his legs as far as they would go to expose the knight's quivering hole. Yixing's eyes rolled back in his head when a finger traced his rim so slowly that he thought he might go mad. 

“Tell me.” The dragon began, as if he did not have the knight spread out across his bed, dying of pleasure or rather, the lack of it. “Do the other knights do this to you? Because you're so pretty?” Yixing whimpered when the finger moved away, the dragon straddling his hips instead. “N…no.” He gasped when the dragon dipped his tongue into his navel, sending spikes of pleasure rippling through him. “Hmm?” Yifan hummed and latched onto the knight’s already erect nipples. “Oh god please! No, you're my first!” Yixing screamed when teeth clamped around his nipple, stimulating him in ways he had never thought possible. 

The dragon moved back down to where he needed contact most and blew gently on his cock. The knight moaned and shivered, bucking up towards the dragon’s mouth. Yifan took the head of Yixing’s cock in his mouth, carefully swirling his tongue around the crown. “Oh, ah!” The knight cried out, back rising off the bed in ecstasy. His slender fingers sought out the dragon’s golden hair and pulled hard. Yifan swallowed, reveling in the loud moan he pulled from the knight as he felt the dragon’s throat muscles ripple around him. The dragon moved higher, sucking a ball into his mouth. What he could not reach, he fondled with his hands. 

Yixing's hands had left Yifan’s hair and he gripped the sheets tightly, nearly tearing them as he writhed, the dragon sucking and swallowing around his manhood. “Oh god, oh god! I'm going… If you don't… I will… Oh FUCK!” Yixing's cries grew louder and higher in pitch as the dragon milked him towards his orgasm. His vision went white as his body convulsed out of his control, his sacs pulling up as he orgasmed, spilling white into the dragon's mouth before he could pull out. Yifan swirled his tongue around the tip of his cock one last time, making the knight whimper at the sensation before swallowing around the knight's limp manhood, determined to tease him one last time. 

Yixing jerked his hips up weakly before he dropped his head back onto the bed, sweat trickling down his brow to soak into the silk sheets. As Yifan rose to his feet, a handsome smirk curling at his lips, Yixing found his mind drifting back to how he had first met the dragon. The thought that he had originally been sent to kill him was laughable now as the man bore down upon him, a glint to his eyes that made the knight's skin prickle and his cock twitch.

-

"Knight Zhang." Yixing bowed, touching his forehead at the edge of the dais, one hand on the hilt of his sword. "My lord." He breathed when he felt the emperor's robes brush the top of his head. "My guards have spoken very highly of you and your skills." The emperor's tone was mocking as he gazed upon the subservient head of his knight. Yixing's blood chilled and his heart's beat reverberated in his ears as he kept his eyes on the blood red carpet that lined the Great Hall. "I'm sure the facts have been exaggerated, my lord." He murmured, not daring to raise his head. 

The emperor's laugh echoed throughout the hall, the servants cowering away at the blood curdling sound. "You are a humble man, Knight Zhang." The words coiled like a serpent into Yixing's ears and he pressed his forehead harder into the step, feeling his body tremble as the emperor moved closer. His tongue felt thick, his throat closing up as he struggled to find words. Sweat started to bead at his brow line and his hand started to feel slippery around the leather wrapped hilt of his sword. 

"I have a task for you, Knight Zhang. If properly executed, it may relieve you of any displeasure I have." The breath rushed back into the knight's lungs as the emperor moved away, turning his back on him. "I assume that you have heard of the great dragon that has been terrorizing the lands lately?" Yixing had heard of him, of course. The entire kingdom was talking and petrified. Frankly, the knight was not bothered as the dragon had only stolen cattle from the king's herd and had left the villages alone. Still, a Western Dragon had not been sighted in their kingdom for a long time so perhaps the kingdom had cause to be alarmed. 

"You will travel to the eastern mountains where sentries have reported his den. Bring me the dragon's head and heart and my distemper may be soothed. Should you return with nothing, your head will roll across the palace floor." The laughter and mocking had vanished from the emperor's tone, the underlying threat clear in his statement. Yixing's heart just about fell out of his mouth. 

To even pass through the mountains would be difficult enough with the many bandits and thieves that conceal themselves but to infiltrate a dragon's den to slay it? That was practically suicide! Not to mention that dragons had scales thicker than his own armour and the only weakness they had, well, it was not an easy place to aim for when the dragon towered over him, the soft inside of its mouth too high for his sword to reach. The temperature inside a dragon's body was hot enough to melt steel as well so the dragon was practically invincible. 

All these thoughts ran through Yixing's head as he packed his bags, his bunk mates sniggering over his terrible fate. To think that only two days ago, they had their cocks down his throat, choking him to no tomorrow. He would find no sympathy there. He took one last glance at the room that had served him well for all those years he had scrabbled, fought his way up to be the emperor's most favoured and said a silent good bye. It was unlikely that he would ever make it back to see it again. Even if he survived this trip, the emperor would be sure to find a way to be rid of him, lest he contaminate the rest of his knights with his homosexuality. 

The mud clung to his boots as he trudged out of the bunks, heading towards the armoury in the palace to visit his only friend in the academy. A bone deep sadness weighed him down when he realised that he may never see Luhan again. The two sets of armour standing at the armoury's doors taunted him as he brushed a hand across one. He remembered the battle well, the one where he had worn this particular set of armour. Luhan had been at his side, fighting with him until he had been wounded, so badly that he would never fight again. The memories ran clear in his mind as he pushed open the armoury door to see his best and only friend seated at the table, quill in hand as he sketched.

"Lu ge." Yixing whispered, not wanting to startle his friend. The ex-knight lifted his head and let out a soft cry as his best friend embraced him. There were tears pooling in his eyes as Yixing pulled away. “I heard.” Luhan breathed faintly, fingers curling tightly around his best friend’s hand. Yixing bowed his head and the ex-knight stifled a sob. “You will never return, Xing ah. The mountains are too treacherous to cross!” The knight knelt by his best friend’s side and kissed his hand. “I have to. The king’s orders.” He murmured, feeling both sad and weary. 

“Yixing… What will I do without you?” Luhan caressed the knight’s chestnut hair mournfully, thinking of the cruel knights who enjoyed playing tricks on him, stealing away his artificial legs for long hours at a time, leaving him confined to his desk or room. "I don't know." Yixing said as he rose to his feet, reluctantly releasing his best friend's hand. 

Luhan reached across the table and snatched up a pair of gauntlets that had been lying on the table across him. "Here." He thrust them into Yixing's hands. "I know yours don't fit that well on you anymore and your right wrist needs the support." Yixing looked down at the armoured gloves, glistening softly under the sunlight streaming in from the window and bit his lip, his eyes filling with tears. "Ge..." 

Luhan turned away, a silvery tear making its way down the planes of his face. Yixing wrapped his arms around his best friend, muffling his sobs into his hair. "I'll be okay. I'll come back. I promise. I'll come back." The knight whispered, every word strengthening his resolve, hardening his spine. He would return, if only for Luhan, his Lu ge. He would bring back the dragon's head.

-

The memories flew from his head when Yixing felt a firm pressure on his hips and groin, lips parting to let out a breathy moan as the dragon ground down hard. "Fuck!" He gasped, hands flying to grab at Yifan's hips. He rolled his hips up, meeting the dragon's movements, making him cry out in satisfaction. "Still sensitive?" Yifan asked, moving downwards to spread open the knight's legs once more. Yixing nodded and cried out when there was a warm, wet pressure at his entrance, his back arching off the silk sheets from the pleasure. "Yifan, oh Yifan!" He screamed when the tongue breached his hole, stimulating him from the inside. Yifan's tongue licked at his walls, the quivering muscles tightening as the knight spasmed helplessly on the bed. 

Yixing's hands found his cock and he started pumping, sliding his hand slowly up and down his shaft. The pressure at his entrance was suddenly gone, causing him to whine in displeasure. Strong fingers pried his hands away from his cock despite his protests and he found his arms being pulled above him and wrapped tightly with silk scarves. "You should not be allowed to pleasure yourself while I am pleasuring you. That is just rude." Yifan rumbled, the low octave of his voice reverberating right through Yixing's chest and down to his groin. 

The knight whined and tugged helplessly at the silk but the knots were strong and well tied with barely any give at all. Yixing let out a sob, struggling to free himself from the restraining fabric and the dragon took the opportunity to distract him by pressing an oiled finger against his entrance. Yifan poured more oil over the quivering hole and Yixing squirmed, the liquid cold against his heated skin. The dragon pressed his finger inside, using a strong hand to hold down the knight's stuttering hips. 

Yixing groaned when the long finger slid deeper into him, his muscles burning at the new intrusion. "Does it hurt?" The dragon asked, looking up toward the bound male on his bed. The knight shook his head, closing his eyes when the dragon took that as a cue to insert another finger. "You're so tight." Yifan groaned when Yixing clenched around him, gasping and swearing. "Please! Just...just give me a minute." The knight begged, the burn slightly more than he could bear. He half expected the dragon to tease him for being less than manly but but Yifan only pressed a gentle kiss on his bent knee and said. "Take your time, sweetheart." 

The endearment surprised him but Yixing inhaled deeply, the pain slowly dissipating. He nodded and the dragon spread his fingers apart, slowly stretching the knight out. He moved his fingers deeper, seeking out the knight's prostate. The pad of his fingers brushing over something elicited a reaction, the knight crying out in surprised pleasure, hips canting unconsciously upwards as he grappled with his restraints. Yifan prodded at the tissue again, smirking when the knight was reduced into a writhing mess. "Fuck, oh please! Do it again!" Yixing cried, arms straining against the silk as his mind short circuited. 

The dragon withdrew his fingers, much to the knight's consternation and slicked up his cock which was hard and leaking, curving proudly towards his stomach. He leaned forward, bracing himself against Yixing's hips and aligned himself with the knight's entrance. "Oh, shit! "Yixing gasped, the burn more than he was prepared for. "God, you're so fucking... tight!" The dragon moaned, moving as slowly as he could to avoid hurting the knight more than necessary. The knight whined high in his throat as sweat dripped down his forehead, soaking his hair. "Ah!" He felt the head of the dragon's cock brush against his prostate and he screamed, his vision whiting out.

-

Yixing bowed to the old woman, pressing a hard loaf into her hands. The woman's wrinkled face broke into a smile and she thanked him over and over, bowing repeatedly as the knight stepped away, back to his horse. He smiled to himself as he led his horse further down the dusty road. He had arrived in a small village on the way to the mountains after four hard days of travelling and the villagers had all gathered at the mouth of the village when he had first arrived to gawk at him. He supposed that being this far away from the center of the kingdom meant knights like him became very interesting to look at. 

The village sat between a forest and a whole length of sand dunes and it was tiny, so small that he could walk across the entirety of it in about two hundred paces. The ground of the village was mainly sand and when the wind blew, the small particles flew up in a massive dust cloud, creating a miniature sandstorm.

He had had children come up to him all day to touch his sword or ask to see the bow slung across his back and it was all very rewarding to watch them brush tiny fingers across the weapon with such awe in their eyes. The village was very poor, and as he had discovered, their water supply was atrocious. Every minute he spent in the village reminded him more of the luxuries he had left behind in the central palace and the enormity of the emperor's selfish rule dawned on him. 

He had seen women carrying children too weak to walk by themselves, old men so thin that it looked as if a gust of wind could blow them over. A young woman had come up to him and asked him to hold her son who was dying of a fever that could have easily been cured if only they had the money for medicine and a doctor. The knight's heart was heavy even as his saddlebags lightened, most of the food he had brought with him given to as many villagers as he could.

He regretted nothing as he had coins inside his pack and he knew that he would come across at least another small town before he even arrived anywhere near the mountains. His only fear would be the bandits and thieves hidden in the mountain passes that he had to cross before he found the dragon's den. Bowing and thanking the villagers profusely for allowing him to stay, he swung atop his horse and set off towards the horizon where he could see the tips of the mountains peeking through. There would be at least another day's worth of travel before he would be able to arrive at the next town. 

-  
Yixing's eyes flew open, immediately feeling as if he was drowning in pools of honey as the dragon sank his teeth into the knight's plump bottom lip, dark amber eyes staring coyly at him. He gasped, lips parting and allowing Yifan to slide his tongue into his mouth. . 

"Uh!" Yixing cried out against Yifan's mouth when the dragon kissed him harder, his cock sliding deeper into the knight's body. He tugged helplessly at the scarves, hips jerking uncontrollably as Yifan turned his attention to the knight's neck. Pain prickled at his scalp when a firm hand slid into Yixing's dark chestnut locks, dragging his head back roughly to expose the pale column of his neck. The look in the dragon's eyes was almost predatory as he eyed the creamy skin that was begging to be marked. 

Yixing gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing against the skin pulled taut across his neck and Yifan growled, sinking his teeth into the knight's white throat. He thrust his hips deeper and Yixing gurgled, wrists pulling upwards as he strained for leverage. The dragon bit and sucked, using his tongue to soothe the skin with saliva as he made his mark on the pale skinned knight. "Yi...FAN!" Yixing sobbed when the dragon abandoned his neck, targeting his already swollen nipples instead. 

Yifan's eyes rolled back when the knight clenched, his walls tightening around his member and sent a wave of pleasure up his spine. He clamped his teeth onto the skin just above Yixing's collarbones and swiveled his hips hard. The knight wailed in pleasure when the tip of the dragon's manhood stabbed at his prostate, making his body tremble as he struggled towards his second orgasm of the night. 

"Oh god, oh god!" The knight panted, tugging at his restraints so hard that he felt the skin around his wrists bruise, sending pinpricks of pleasure shooting through him at the unexpected pain. Yifan smirked and pressed his lips back against the knight's mouth, sealing them together in a passionate kiss as he felt Yixing arch into him, moaning helplessly as he thrusted harder into the knight's warm cavern. 

"Fan...ah!" Yixing's fists clenched, the veins on his neck bulging as he threw back his head screaming, back arching off the bed as pleasure hurtled through his body, his limbs spasming helplessly as his cock shot white liquid all over his stomach. The world spun and he saw stars as Yifan milked him through the orgasm, pleasure spiking through him until he was spent, all the strength gone from him. 

The dragon thrusted harder, Yixing whimpering helplessly at the sensitivity as Yifan chased his orgasm. White blurred around the edge of his vision when the knight clenched unconsciously around him. Relief punched him in the gut like a freight train and he wobbled, arms dangerously close to collapsing at the sensation of his impending orgasm. Yifan slammed his hips forward, Yixing releasing a high pitched scream before he let out a low satisfied growl and spilled his seed deep into the knight's body, Yixing groaning weakly at the foreign feeling of warm liquid filling his insides. Yifan's arms trembled and he barely caught himself from falling on top of the recovering knight. He pressed a gentle kiss upon the purplish bruise that was forming on the skin just above the knight's collarbones and pulled out slowly, wincing internally when he felt his cock catch on Yixing's sensitive walls. 

"You've hurt yourself." Yifan murmured as he slowly tugged the silk scarves away from the knight's delicate skin. Yixing shifted, eyes fluttering as his arms fell from the bonds and lay onto the pillow above his head, boneless. He barely registered the flashes of pain as the dragon lifted one of his wrists to examine it, pressing a tender kiss against the purple band that had formed on the milky skin. "I..." He breathed, still trying to catch his breath. 

"Shh. Don't talk. Breathe, I will clean you up." Yifan hushed him, brushing gentle fingers across his lips. Yixing let his eyes flutter close as he felt the dragon's weight lift from the bed, pictures of him meeting the young man in the depths of the mountains flashing behind his lids. 

-  
The weather got worse, as he travelled further from the villages, ground so dry that barely any vegetation could grow. He could see the mountain pass from where he was standing, kneeling by the edge of a desert spring. Dust flew all around him whenever the wind blew, tiny particles slipping beneath his eyelids and irritating his nose. His eyes were watering as he refilled his waterskin, feeling the spring running dry as he screwed on the cap. 

His horse was nearby, chewing on some poor dried out vegetation as he rose to his feet, eyes set upon the travel worn road leading up the Red Mountains as he had nicknamed them; the stone and sand that made them up were so vibrantly red. "Orion, come!" He called, never lifting his eyes from the path. 

His faithful grey gelding came trotting over to him, kicking up sand as he went. "Let's finish this." The knight whispered as he swung into the saddle, lacing the reins neatly into his hands before guiding Orion up the road. 

The road was hard packed earth, Orion's metal horseshoes making no sound as they rode. It cut straight up one mountain and passed through a great canyon that was dangerous to cross because of the bandits and thieves lurking within it. Yixing bit his lip and prayed as hard as he could that he would be granted safe passage through though that was most unlikely. 

As they approached the top of the road, Yixing was surprised to see thick dense vegetation and trees growing as they moved along, much to Orion's delight. He snatched mouthfuls of leaves as they trotted forward, the trees growing much denser as they approached the top. The horse had just leaned forward to get another mouthful of leaves when there was a rustling sound. 

Orion whinnied in fear and jumped back, nearly throwing Yixing off, the knight barely clinging on. "What on earth!" A young man peeked his head out from behind a bush, looking curiously in Yixing's direction. He looked very threatening with those thick bushy eyebrows and Yixing's hand flew to his sword immediately. "Who are you?" He asked, backing his horse away from the strange man. The man cocked his head and stepped out from behind the bush. 

He was very tall, dressed in a simple white tunic with no visible weapons on him. His golden hair was styled up in a way that made the knight think of royalty. "Hi." The man smiled at him, lips spreading apart to reveal his gums. “I'm Yifan.” Yixing blinked. The man that had looked so terrifying with those heavy brows now looked soft and warm, very welcoming. Slowly, he lowered his hand, sword still tucked safely in its sheath. 

“Yifan.” He tried, testing the name out. The man’s smile grew wider and he stepped closer, hand reaching out to pet Orion. “What is your business so high up in the mountains? The canyon you will see in front is too dangerous to cross.” The strange man said as Orion stilled, allowing him to smooth fingers admiringly through his mane. Yixing faltered but quickly schooled his face into a blank mask. “I am here on the emperor’s orders to slay the dragon that has been stealing livestock from his herds.” He said and watched as the young man's face crinkled into a frown. 

“The dragon? The one that made its den only recently across the canyon?” Yifan asked, eying the knight critically. Yixing nodded quietly and the man’s brows creased with worry. “You must be suicidal. You will never make it past the canyon much less the dragon’s den. Too many bandits and thieves inhabit in the canyon and they have little regard for anyone’s life.” The knight's face paled and his grip on the reins tightened. Orion seemed to sense his rider’s unease and snorted softly, nervously pawing at the red dirt. 

“I must cross the canyon or die trying.” Yixing said at last after a long silence. Yifan raised his eyebrows. “You must be the least favored of the emperor’s knights to be assigned such a suicidal quest.” He remarked and the knight flushed, red spreading from the base of his neck to the tips of his ears. “Untrue.” Yixing retorted, biting his lip. “I was his right hand.” He hurriedly explained when Yifan’s eyebrows rose again. “What heinous crime have you committed to be relegated to doing such a job?” The corner of Yifan's mouth quirked up and the knight felt a rush of shame sweep over him. 

"I... I was caught in an intimate position with… With another knight by my general.” He mumbled, his face red and hot as he stared at the reins laced tightly in his hands. He expected to hear the man’s disgusted sound and see him turn away and leave him to die but he was surprised when Yifan’s eyes darkened in anger. “The emperor is disgusting.” He spat angrily, eyebrows pulling together to make him look very threatening. 

“I will aid you in crossing the canyon. If only to spite that man.” Yixing was taken aback by how vehement Yifan’s hatred was. “Come.” The strange man gestured for the knight to follow him and Yixing did so, his mind whirling with confusion.

-

Yixing sighed softly as Yifan ran a damp cloth over his soiled skin, cleaning up the release that had already started drying. “Is there something on your mind, my love?” The dragon asked, leaning over the knight to press a chaste kiss upon his lips. “Just you.” Yixing murmured, pulling a smile from the dragon. “Spoken like a true knight.” Yifan teased as he set aside the cloth and slid his arms beneath the man. Yixing cuddled against the dragon’s chest as he was lifted into the air and settled into the plush velvety cushions of a chaise. A soft satin blanket was laid over him and a warm fuzzy feeling grew in the pit of his stomach.

He watched with half lidded eyes as the dragon stripped off the soiled bedding, tossing them into a pile at the base of the four poster bed. “When did you start living here?” He asked curiously as Yifan replaced the sheets, meticulously tucking the edges under the mattress. “Nearly two years ago.” Yixing blinked, surprised. “But no one has ever seen you until recently?” He questioned, shifting in his place as Yifan curled his arms around him, scooping him off the chaise easily. 

Yifan’s eyebrows furrowed as he slid into the bed, drawing the covers over them. He thought for a moment before realization dawned upon him. “You are from the city. Of course you won’t have seen me. The people in the villages have known me ever since I arrived.” Yixing shifted and laid his head upon the dragon’s chest, listening to the steady thump thump of his heart beating. “Why did you come here?” He asked quietly.

“The people are suffering here. I came to help.” Came the answer and Yixing felt guilt pool in his stomach. He had been born and raised in the city and had come across no hardship in his life. With a roof over his head and his belly full every night, he had no idea what was going on outside of his little bubble, how the emperor’s taxes were raised and how in order for the emperor to maintain such a lavish lifestyle, the people outside were suffering. 

“The King must be overthrown. His people suffer too much.” An edge crept into Yifan’s voice as he continued, fear creeping slowly into Yixing’s heart as he proclaimed his wish to overthrow the emperor and save the citizens. “Surely there is another way. You cannot fight all of the emperor’s soldiers alone.” He soothed, carding gentle fingers through the dragon’s golden hair. “No. I will make for the city tomorrow.” Yifan’s voice was hard and Yixing’s fingers tightened in his hair. “It is too dangerous.” He pleaded softly, leaning his head into the crook of Yifan’s neck. 

“You will not come with me?” The dragon asked quietly, pulling the knight closer to him. “I am bound by an oath I swore when I became a knight to always protect the emperor.” Yixing murmured into the soft skin at Yifan’s neck. “But you do not stop me now.” It was not a question as Yifan shifted away, leaving Yixing cold on the bed. 

“Where… Where are you going?” Yixing sat up when he saw the dragon reach for a maroon coloured mantle. “Flying, the stars are beautiful tonight.” Came the short answer as the knight scrambled out of bed, the soreness in his muscles barely registering in his brain. He wrapped his arms around the dragon’s waist, effectively stopping the man in his tracks. 

“Loyalty, Yixing. It is a valuable quality in men.” The dragon rumbled, keeping his gaze set upon the navy blue sky outside the cave. “I… I am afraid that if I came with you, I would be forced to fight against you.” Yixing mumbled, words muffled into the dragon’s broad back. “I… Have a friend in the academy. He detests the emperor’s ways but he would fight alongside the rest of the army against you anyway. I do not want to be reminded of my oath and draw my sword against you.” 

The pleading words seemed to have an effect on the dragon and he stopped, fingering the mantle between his fingertips. Yixing wondered what he was thinking about as his memories returned.

-

“Be silent.” Yifan held a finger to his lips as Yixing swung out of the saddle. The knight kept a firm grip on his horse as they stepped between two jutting rocks and a wave of sand seemed to lift off the ground. “How long…” He began only to be shushed by Yifan, who suddenly seemed tense.

The knight got the hint and did not try to speak as they moved across the canyon. The ground was dry and covered with red sand that was loose and rose off in waves if too big a move was made. The rocks reared massive heads and led into caves and tunnels that bandits would use. Yixing kept close to Yifan as they walked, hand on the hilt of his sword to ward off any thieves. 

He should have noticed that something was wrong when Yifan spun around, lunging for him, a moment too late. The knight yelled out in shock when a strong arm wrapped around his throat, a hand prying his fingers from the hilt of his sword. He swung around, trying to get free from the restraining hold. His blood ran cold when the tip of a knife pressed into his back, cutting through his shirt and into skin. “Be still.” A hoarse voice growled in his ear.

Yixing cried out in fear when a masked man tackled Yifan from behind, cutlass swinging. Yifan roared in pain and bodily sent the man flying across the sand. The knight gasped in awe and squirmed, trying to hook one leg around his captor’s thigh to dislodge him but the bandit pressed the knife harder, opening a wound on his back, rivulets of red dripping from it. “Let… Ugh!” Yixing cried out when his sword belt was roughly cut and his arms wrenched behind him. 

“Move another muscle and the pretty one goes.” Yifan snarled but stood his ground when the bandit moved his knife from Yixing’s back to his throat. Yixing gulped, his wrists jerking weakly in his captor’s vice like grip. “You will find no treasure on us.” Yifan shifted and the man hissed at him. 

Yixing let out a cry of protest when a hand tugged his cloak from his neck, the bandit tucking the silver clasp into his sack. “Search the bags and kill the horse.” The man holding him proclaimed and Yixing gasped, straining helplessly. “No!” Yifan’s eyes darkened and began to glow. 

The bandits approaching him fell back with a cry of horror when leathery black wings unfurled from the man’s back, tearing his tunic to shreds. His face disfigured, shifting into a reptilian snout as the rest of his body lengthened, black scales climbing over pale skin until there was no man standing in front of them but a great, black dragon puffing smoke from its nostrils. 

Yixing’s jaw dropped open, barely registering the bandit leader releasing him, and running helter skelter away from him. His feet stood rooted to the ground as he gaped at the reptile. The dragon roared and the ground beneath them shook from the force. His black wings flapped once and a gust of wind swept the ground from beneath the bandits’ feet, sending them toppling onto the ground.  
Yixing stumbled, face going pale in fright when the dragon rose into the air, leathery wings sending waves of sand rising off the canyon’s floor. He cried out in terror when the reptile swooped down upon him, a claw clamping around his waist and the other around his horse. His voice was gone, too terrified to even make a sound as the ground beneath his feet vanished as he was lifted into the air and carried over the mountains to god knows where. 

Don’t be afraid. I will not hurt you. The knight was astonished to hear the voice come from inside his head and twisted his head, craning his neck to look towards the dragon’s head. “Yifan?” He tried weakly and the dragon rumbled quietly. That’s me. 

While Yixing was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that the man who had agreed to help him across the canyon was the dragon himself, he failed to notice that they were landing, the dragon’s hind legs settling gracefully back onto the earth first. The knight’s knees buckled when his feet touched the ground, his horse whinnying frantically as he tried not to crumple onto the floor. He was with slight glazed eyes as the dragon shifted, the reptilian form morphing back into a human figure. 

“I hope I did not frighten you too much.” Yifan said as he approached the knight, gripping a hand around his arm to steady him. “You…” Yixing stared up at him in awe. Yifan gave him a wry smile and gestured towards the cave that Yixing had not noticed before. “Come. You must rest.” 

-

“It has been nearly two weeks that you have stayed here with me.” Yifan rumbled, still fingering the mantle and Yixing nodded, gazing up into the dragon’s eyes. “Is it not considered an act of treachery that you have laid with the creature your emperor has commanded you to dispose of?” He watched with satisfaction as the knight’s Adam’s apple bobbed, drawn in by his amber eyes. “Per…perhaps.” Yixing stuttered as the dragon leaned towards him, mantle falling from his fingertips. 

“Then you belong not to the emperor now, but to me.” The dragon brushed a fingertip gently along the purple bruise marked just above the knight’s collarbones and watched as Yixing sighed at his touch. “Yes.” He breathed and the dragon bent to kiss him. “Come with me and together we will fight for this kingdom.” As the dragon’s hot lips enveloped his, Yixing could not help be feel as if he was the luckiest man alive.


End file.
